Unicycle



No. 607,829. Patented July 26, I898. W. M. CAREY.

UNICYGLE.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1896.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheei I.

m: mews PETERS co, mm'auma, WAiHlNOYON, n. cy

No. 607,829. Patented July 26, I898.

, w. M. CAREY.

UNICYGLE.

(Application filed Aug. 7, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-SheeiZ.

'YHE Noam: us'rzns cu, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. n cy Nrrnp TATES VILLIAMM. CAREY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

UNICYC'LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,829, dated July 26,1898.

Application filed August 7, 1896. Serial No. 602,077. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. CAREY, of Boston, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Unicycles, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention has for its object to con-' struct an improved unicycleof that class whereinthe rider is seated and works within a largeopen-centered wheel,and comprehends a large open-centered wheelcomprising an outer rim and tire thereon and an inner ringlike structureor frame rigidly connected with said outer rim by radial spokes.

The inner ring-like structure or frame is composed of two flat ringslocated side by side and separated a short distance and secured togetherby a number of transverse rods or bars, upon which rolls are mounted.

lVithin the open-centered wheel and between the fiat rings forming thering-like structure or frame thereof a circular supporting-frame isarranged, it resting upon rolls mounted on the transverse rods or bars.A cross-piece is arranged diametrically within said circularsupporting-frame a short distance below its center, being secured at itsends, and substantially midway its length it has a depressed portion, inwhich the seat or saddle is placed. Ahub is supported directly beneathsaid depressed portion of the crossbar, and a number of spokes radiatefrom said hub to and connect it with the circular supporting-frame. Thesaddle, which may be made in any desirable Way, is supported in thedepressed portion of said cross-bar.

The propelling mechanism comprises, essentially, two spring-actuatedarms pivotally connected at their lower ends to said hub and extendedupwardly,one at each side of said circular supporting-frame, andprovided at their upper extremities with gripping or clutching devicesadapted to engage rolls on the transverse bars of the open-centeredwheel, and said spring-actuated arms have secured to them cords orstraps or equivalent flexible connections, to which stirrups areattached,

adapted to be operated by the feet of the rider. I

The steering device comprises, essentially, two steering-arms arrangedone at each side of the machine, the operating levers or handles ofwhich are located within easy reach of the rider and the lower ends ofwhich bear upon the ground a short distance at the rear of the point ofcontact of said large open-centered wheel with the ground, and pressureapplied to one of said steering-arms causes said unicycle to change itscourse. These steering-arms are also constructed and arranged to serveas steadying devices or supports for the machine when mounting ordismounting.

As a brake for the machine I may employ a pair of jaws whichwhenoperated will frictionally engage the ring-like structure or frame.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a unicycle en1- bodying this invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the dotted line so00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the gripping or clutching deviceon one of the actuating-arms. Figs. 4 and 5 are front and sideelevations of the steering-arms, showing their pivotal connection withthe circular supporting-frame. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the brake withthe jaws in engagement with the open-centered Wheel.

The large wheel is composed of the outer rim or and tire ct thereon andan inner ringlike structure or frame rigidly connected with said outerrim a by radial spokes a which are preferably bifurcated, as shown inFig. 2, but in lieu thereof they may be made straight and to alternatelyradiate from either side of the ring-like structure or frame to theouter rim Ct. The inner ring-like structure or frame is composed of twoflat rings 1) I), located side by side and separated a short distanceand rigidly secured together bya number of transverse rods or bars Z),upon each of which small rolls 5 and large rolls D are mounted and freeto revolve, there being herein shown two large rolls on each bar and asmall roll between them. Thus a large open-centered wheel is produced. Acircular supportingframe having as an essential part of it a circularrim b is containedwithin' said large open-centered Wheel between thefiat'rings b b, it resting upon the small rolls b which are mounted onthe transverse bars Z), between the large rolls I1 The rim b thussupported has small rolls b for a face-bearin g and large rolls Z2 forside bearings. A cross-piece c is ICO arranged diametrically across saidcircular rim b a short distance below its center, being secured at itsends to said rim b by brackets 17*, as shown in Fig. 1, and saidcrosspiece 0 has substantially midway its length a depressed or U-shapedportion in which the seat or saddle c is placed. A hub c islocateddirectly beneath said depressed or U-shaped portion of the cross-pieceand is held in fixed position within and relatively to thecircularsupporting-frame by a bolt which passes through said depressedportion of the crosspiece 0 and into said hub and by a number of spokes0 which radiate from said hub and connect it with said rim 19 Thesaddle, which may be made in any desirable way, is supported by a bowedor U- shaped spring 0 held in upright position and secured within thedepressed portion of the cross-piece, it being attached to the front endof said saddle by a hook 0 which passes through a hole in a horizontalear formed upon said bowed spring, and to the rear end of said saddle bya thumb-nut a which passes through a like horizontal ear formed uponsaid bowed spring and into a plate secured to the bottom of said saddle,and two lateral springs c are also secured to said hub 0 which projectsupwardly therefrom to said saddle, being secured thereto and aiding insupporting it. i

The propelling mechanism comprises, essentially, two spring-actuatedarms 61 d, pivotally'connected at their lower ends to said hub c andextending upwardly, one at each side of said circular supporting-rim band at the upper extremities of said arms gripping or clutching devicesare provided, consisting, as hereinshown, of curved or hooked fingers dcl, pivotally connected to the ends of the arms and adapted to engagethe rolls I9 mounted on the transverse bars of the opencentered wheel ateach side of the rolls b and said spring-actuated arms have adjustablysecured to them cord or strap holding devices, consisting of blocks d 01which embrace the arms and are made adjustable thereon. A set of pulleysd d are supported by depending brackets 2 3 on the cross-piece c andsaddle, and a similar set of pulleys d d are supported by dependingbrackets 4: 5 on the cross-piece cand saddle at the opposite side of themachine, and cords or straps or equivalent flexible connections areattached to said cord or strap holding devices 61 61 which pass oversaid pulleys d d and d d and have attached to their opposite or freeends stirrups 61 which are constructed and arranged to be operated bythe feet of the rider. The gripping or clutching fingers d d, secured tothe spring-actuated arms d d, engage the rolls b mounted upon thetransverse rods or bars I) of the large opencentered wheel, and as therider depresses the stirrups d d alternately first one and then theother spring-actuated arm will be depressed, and the gripping orclutching fingers d d, secured to the ends of said arms cl (1, willengage the rolls Z9 or bars I) and cause said large open-centered wheelto revolve. Two spring-arms ff are rigidly secured to'said hub 0 whichproject forwardly beneath the arms cl (1 and bear at their endsfriction-rolls f f, which bear upon or against said arms d d. )Vhen saidarms d d are depressed, they act upon or against the springarms ff, andwhen. the pressure upon the arm is relieved said spring-arms ff will actto lift said arms d d, that the gripping or clutching fingers d 61 willengage the rolls on another bar. When said arms 01 d are rising, inorder that the gripping or clutching fingers d d thereon may engage therolls to prevent said fingers from interfering with the motion of saidopen centered wheel by striking against the rolls I pivot said fingers dcl to said arms (Z d, so that they are free to be turned forwardly ontheir pivots, but are prevented from turning rearwardly, (see Fig. 3,)and said fingers d d are weighted, or in lieu thereof they may bespring-pressed.

The steering device herein shown comprises, essentially, twosteering-arms h h, pivoted to the cross-piece c by a rod which passesthrough them and through said cross-piece c, and said arms are arrangedone at each side of the machine and have hand-engaging portions locatedwithin easy reach of the rider, and the lower ends of saidsteering-arms'h 7t bear upon the ground a short distance at the rear ofthe point of contact of said large opencentered wheel with the ground,and pressure applied to either one of said steering-arms causes themachine to change its course. Said steering-arms may, if desired, beprovided at their lower ends with rolls 7t h',\vhich bear upon theground. These steering-arms 7t h are also used when the rider Wishes todismount in stead yin g the machine, and so they are arranged in suchmanner that their lower ends may be brought forward to bring the rolls hh opposite the point of contact of the large open-centered wheel and theground, and to compensate for the variation in radius from their pivotalconnection to the crosspiece 0 and the ground at the point of contacttherewith of the large open-centered wheel said steering-arms areslotted at g, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) and a spiral spring t' is placed-insaid slot, having secured to its upper end a block 2", which bearsfirmly against the rod When the lower ends of said steering-arms h h arebrought forward, as shown by dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 4:, the slot g,formed in them, allows sufficient vertical adjustment of said arms tocompensate for the variation in radius as they are moved from oneposition to the other, and said spiral springs also firmly hold saidarms in place.

As a brake for the machine I may employ a pair of jaws a, (see Fig. 6,)which when operated will frictionally engage the flat rings 1) b of thelarge open-centered wheel, and in such case a flange a may be formedupon the rings b b of said wheel, against which the jaws n of said brakebear. Said brake may be secured to and thus supported by the crosspiece0, and a strap may be attached. to the rear ends of its jaws, as shownin Fig. 6, which extends along said cross-bar c to be within easy reachof the rider to be manipulated by him to operate the brake.

It is obvious that the construction of many of the features herein shownmay be somewhat changed without departing from this invention, and,furthermore, some of them may even be omitted or used in combination orconnection with other features, and hence I do not desire to limit theinvention to the employment of all the features shown.

I claim 1. In a unicycle, the combination of a large open-centered Wheelcomprising a rim and tire thereon, and an inner ring-like structurerigidly connected with said rim by radial spokes, said ring-likestructure consisting of two rings rigidly connected together bytransverse bars arranged at regular intervals, a supporting-framecontained within and supported by said ring-like structure, twoactuating-arms borne by it having at their extremities gripping orclutching devices adapted to engage said transverse bars, means foroperating said arms,and a seat also supported by said frame,substantially as described.

2. In a unicycle, the combination of an open-centered wheel havingtransverse barsarranged at intervals around the interior thereof, of twoactuating-arms having at their extremities gripping or clutching devicesadapted to engage said transverse bars, stirrups, and flexibleconnections connecting them with said arms for operating them, andsprings acting upon said arms to restore them, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a unicycle, the combination of a large open-centered wheel havingtransverse bars arranged at intervals around the interior thereof, twoactuating-arms b, b, having at their extremities pivoted counterbalancedclaws b, b, and stops therefor, and means for operating saidactuating-arms, substantially as described.

4. In a unicycle, the combination of a large open-centered wheelcomprising a rim and tire thereon, and an inner ring-like structureconnected with said outer rim by radial spokes and consisting of twofiat rings located side by side and separated a short distance andsecured together by transverse rods or bars, and propelling mechanismcomprising two springactuated arms bearing gripping or clutching devicesconstructed and arranged to engage said bars, and means for operatingsaid arms, substantially as described.

5. In a unicycle,alarge open-centered Wheel having transverse barsarranged at intervals around the interior thereof, each bar havingmounted upon it a pair of large rolls and one or more small rollsbetween them, and an independent circular supporting-frame containedWithin said open-centered wheel, the rim of which occupies a positionbetween said large rolls and bears upon said small rolls, substantiallyas described.

6. In a unicycle, the combination of a large open centered wheel, asupporting frame within it and steering devices supported thereon,consisting of two downwardly-extended arms each having a longitudinalslot or aperture formed therein, a pivot-pin passing therethrough, and aspiral spring contained in said slot or aperture having at its upper enda block which bears upon said pivotpin, substantially as describe Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. M. CAREY. Witnesses: 1

B. J. NoYEs, HARRY O. ROBINSON.

